“Phantom” by The Satellite Station – A Song Feature

      There is a balance in writing lyrics that listeners find relatable. The lyrics cannot be so personally revealing that the perception is that the song is a glimpse into the experiences and emotions of the vocalist. While there must be an intimacy, it needs to be presented in a manner that directs the glimpse inwardly, into the experiences and emotions of the listener. Few songwriters understand this balance better than The Satellite Station. He is among the nobility within the Goldilocks Zone defined by the balance.

     The Satellite Station is the moniker of vocalist, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, Travis Rue. He is based in Canton. Ohio. His recent release is “Phantom,” a song reflecting upon continuing to sense the presence of someone you loved, even after the person's death or after the end of the relationship. He explains that ”Phantom” is “about trying to live without someone who used to be a part of you…about holding on when you know you need to find a way to let go…being haunted by them even after they are gone.”

     The piano in “Phantom” has a gentle elegance in its simplicity. It is effective in complementing the emotion that is the pulse of the vocal delivery. Still, perhaps the most appealing feature of the single is the brief multi-instrument crescendo that begins at 2:45. 

     “Phantom” by The Satellite Station

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Thesatellitestation

Website: www.thesatellitestation.com

Lyrics of “Phantom” by The Satellite Station

Sun goes down, spirits come in the dark

Lay so still, count the movements of the clock

Lost in that place between sleeping and awake

This phantom of you is proving more than I can take

Ooo

I could almost hear you

Ooo

I could almost hold you

The cars outside and the creaking of the floors

The sounds feel strange without your voice anymore

Get up in the night think I see you in the mirrors

Feel a chill in the air and I'd swear that you are near

Ooo

I could almost hear you

Ooo

I could almost hold you

Morning comes and the ghosts disappear

Walk through the house, but I know that you're not here

Read those old letters than I tossed in the drawer

I torture myself, but I can't do it anymore

Ooo

I could almost hear you

Ooo

I could almost hold you

“Shut In” by Beauts – A Song Feature

      It is far easier to divide “Shut In” into two segments than it is to identify a preference for one over the other. The first segment of the single from Beauts runs nearly three minutes. While the roles of the three classes of contributors do not change, the intensities do, and the guitars transform from Sonic to Rock.

      “Shut In” is also lyrically praiseworthy. [Admittedly, we aren’t completely sold on our interpretation, but that never stops us.] The song compares a less than ideal relationship to being shut in during a snowstorm. She feels no future in his arms, and it will soon be time to brave the road, “But the buses aren’t running / And the cabs aren’t coming / We have to settle into something / Cause tonight we’re shut in.” The band is from Halifax, Nova Scotia, so they are likely familiar with snowstorms

     The start of “Shut In” is bass driven, with the drums adding to the pulsing rhythm. Another contribution class is Atmospheric, as the synth and later the guitars float through the melody. The guitar is crystalline during the first three minutes, establishing a gentle beauty. With the rhythm section fully committed to the pulse and the synth-guitar combination interested in creating a sonic climate, the melody is primarily the responsibility of the vocals. Still, the vocals are often rhythmic.

     The second segment of the Beauts’ single is triggered by increased distortion and intensity in the guitars. The drums become the dominant contributor of the rhythm section, and the vocals become more forceful. “Shut In” turns from a skillfully textured song to more of a wall-of-sound power.

          The members of the Canadian band are Darryl Smith (guitar, vocals), Palmer Jamieson (guitar, vocals), Joel Waddell (drums), Erik Van Lunen (bass, vocals), and Jeff Lawton (vocals). “Shut In” is a single from their full-length album. “Dalliance,” which is available everywhere via LHM Records. Indie Obsessive previously featured, “Drifters, All,” another song on the album. 

     “Shut In” by Beauts

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/beautsmusic

Website: https://beautsmusic.ca/

Bandcamp: https://beauts.bandcamp.com/

“Sinew (Change My Name)” by _people. – A Song Feature

     “Sinew (Change My Name)” is a homeland of texture diversity and attractive guitar hooks. The mastery of _people. and their dedication to their craft are apparent from the layering during the minute-long intro. For a few seconds, there is an eerie modulation with distant, incomprehensible talking. A somewhat chilling bass joins, adding to the mystery as to the direction of “Sinew (Change My Name).” Slightly later, a guitar shines a first light on the song’s path, which becomes clearer when a second guitar joins. _people. (pronounced “underscore people”) is the guide along a journey having an intriguing unpredictability.

     The band from Salt Lake City, Utah, explains that “Sinew (Change My Name)” is a journey through wrestling with purpose, faith, family, identity, and truth. The vocals are driven by Caleb Brooks Yetton, although harmonization significantly adds to the attractiveness. The second voice is likely a female, but there is some doubt, since the other three members are male - Collin Joseph McInroy, Joseph Young, and Nathan Porter.

      The vocals typically are in step with the melody, but there are times during which the voices embrace the lyrics. That is, the vocals are pleasingly melodic, other than when voice inflections evidence anguish. It should be noted that the percussion also contributes to the power of “Sinew (Change My Name).” The drums are particularly strong after the short pause that occurs around the 3:18 mark.

     “Sinew (Change My Name)” by _people. (from their five-song album “You Can’t Speak”)

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/underscorepeoplemusic/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_people.music/

“Everything” by MSPRS - A Song Feature

     The line between MSPRS and The Mispers continues to blur, but the music remains blogworthy. The band is now a trio and no longer features a violin. From the perspectives of melodic capabilities and frequency ranges, the greater emphasis on the bass is not close to being a sonic equivalent. Nevertheless, there is a strong attraction to the MSPRS single “Everything.”

     The MSPRS are Paul Condron-Dorey (vocals, guitar), Donovan Barrett (drums), and Luke Le Clercq (bass). They are based in Jersey, Channel Islands. They describe their sound as consisting of “reverby guitar textures, driving bass lines and banging beats.”

     “Everything” by MSPRS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MSPRS.music/

Benedikt - Free Saturday (“FL&R”)

     Finding songs that can be legally downloaded is easy. The difficult task is to find legally downloadable music that we recommend. Our plan is to post at least one Free, Legal and Recommended (FL&R) song each Saturday.

     Benedikt is a collective band from Oslo, Norway. The members include Hans Olav Settem (vocals, guitar), Stein Boge ( guitar, trumpet, Brage Kristian Einum (synth, accordion), Oddbjørn Sponås (percussion), Sunniva Lilian Shaw-of-Tordarroch (cello), Marit Othilie Thorvik (vocals), Emilie Catrin Korsvold (vocals, trombone), Sindre Skår (bass), and Simen Mitlid (banjo, guitar). Yes, that Simen Mitlid.

      “Old Friends” by Benedikt

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/benediktandfriends/

Lyrics of "Old Friends” by Benedikt

He's eating your mind up

And you say you're biting your nails

More than before

But I'm sure that you're happier

Now that your flipped over changed

Cause some want it darker

Saturday, every day, any day

Taking a toll on me

I could be buying you groceries

Making you scream at me

I could be anyone, anywhere

In every galaxy

Every day, face away

Every day stays the same

Take it off my, take it off my

Take it off my shoulders

Take it off my, take it off my

Take it off my shoulders

Break it off now, break it off

I imagined you'd be older

Peak through my blinds

While you're tossing your pencil on the ground

Covered in bloodstains

I'm moving my furniture

Closer to make sure it stands

If I wake up early

Saturday, every day, any day

Taking a toll on me

I could be buying you groceries

Making you scream at me

I could be anyone, anywhere

In every galaxy

Every day, face away

Every day stays the same

I would take it off your, take it off your

Take it off your shoulders

Take it off your, take it off your

Take it off your shoulders

Break it off now, break it off

I imagined you'd be older

“New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf – A Song Feature

     Zayde Wolf had the boldness to “take his launch pad song and make it better” (apologies to “Hey Jude”). His single “New Blood” has been a fan favorite since its release in 2016. Zayde Wolf worked with Nick Box to reimage the single into an orchestral, cinematic force that demands and commands attention. 

     “New Blood (Reimagined)” begins with a short crescendo that leads to a drop into the first verse. Varying levels of vocal reverb and piano carry an ominous vibe, until the chorus. At the chorus, the vocals shift from portraying invincibility to exposing vulnerable, as they move to a higher octave and lose the reverberation. It is one of the many nuances that evidence the time taken and skill required in reimaging “New Blood.”

     While the piano plays an important role in “New Blood (Reimagined),” the strings transport the song to a cinema-ready wonder. The strings are forceful, whether plucked or played with bows. The power is most evident from the change in texture near the end of the song, when the strings stop and the piano brings the melody to a close.

     Zayde Wolf is the solo project of Dustin Burnett, a producer and musician based in Nashville, Tennessee.

     “New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/zaydewolf

Website: http://www.zaydewolf.com/

Lyrics of “New Blood (Reimagined)” by Zayde Wolf

I spent my whole life chained to the wall

Hungry for more, not afraid to fall

Had to cut a man down to get where I am

But I broke through and here I stand

Don’t try to fight

Nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

It’s too late to try

There’s nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s can stop me now

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s can stop me now

Most of my life, was heavy and hard

So many days, so many scars

But it was all those years, to make who I am, yah

Yah, but I broke through and here I stand

Don’t try to fight

Nothing’s you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

It’s too late to try

There’s nothing you can do

I’m gonna run all over you

I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s gonna stop me now

Yah, I’m looking for new blood

And nothing’s gonna stop me now

I’m looking for new blood, new blood

And nothing’s going to stop me now

I’m looking for new blood, yah

Nothing’s going to stop me now

Nothing’s going to stop me

I’m looking for new blood

“By and By” by Native – A Song Feature

     There is a gentle beauty to “By and By.” And there is an anonymity to its originator, Native. His concerts are typically in Europe (Poland, Germany and Switzerland), but he visits the Los Angeles area. For the release of “By and By,” he stated that it is “the first single of my upcoming album. written together with my good friend and incredible songwriter michael kaiser (@apieceofcoffee ). produced, recorded and mixed by jordan ruiz (@thejordanruiz ).”

     “By and By” by Native

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/musicbynative/

Links to “By and By:” https://lnk.site/by-and-by

Lyrics of “By and By” by Native

Two stones in my pocket

Thirty thousand in the air
Splitting thoughts on the wings of the airplane

I'll call you when I'm there

Same old town

Same old feeling

Different houses

Different floor

And I burn another cigarette

So I can light one more

By and by

Come on take your chances

Ain't that what a heart is for

Flip a coin I'll let you call it

I ain't good at love no more

By and by

Do you remember

The trees we planted

The trees we grew?

Do you remember

The trees we planted

The trees we grew?

And when the day comes

I hope our branches

Bring you shade

And when the wind blows

I know our leaves

Will call your name

By and by

“Enemy” by Strange Heart – A Song Feature

     For the many reasons we praise the band Blue October, we applaud “Enemy” by Strange Heart. The lyrics are widely relatable, although they are somewhat unsettling in their revelation of the mindset resulting from a mental illness. The instrumentation complements the lyrical content. “Enemy” begins with a bouncy solo, but a piano soon joins with an ominous three-tone sequence that both foreshadows the lyrical content and lays a foundation for the piano outro. And like Blue October, the vocals from Strange Heart have a power and an allure.

     Strange Heart explains, "’Enemy’ is a song about mental illness, family, and taking a hard look in the mirror, even when you're afraid of what you may see.” The lyrics are included at the bottom of this post. The band is based in Detroit, Michigan. The members are Josh Clemens (lead vocals, guitar), Bryce Carroll-Coe (vocals, lead guitar), Mike Schneider (vocals, bass), and Bobby Jankowski (drums).

     “Enemy” by Strange Heart 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/strangeheartband

Website: https://www.strangeheartmusic.com/

Lyrics of “Enemy” by Strange Heart

The enemy

Is a part of me

The enemy looks a lot like me

Looks a lot like me

The blood we share didn’t cost a thing

The blood we share has cost us everything

No keeping us from the ones we love

No saving us from the ones we love

No saving us from the ones we love

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Some days I wake as someone else

In the morning I think the who I was just left

Too scared to put voice to the truth

I've always been afraid that I'm just like you

I'm always afraid that I'm just like you

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

No sleeping tonight

No sleeping tonight

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

No sleeping tonight

No sleeping tonight

Pull me inside

Pull me inside

There's a thin line between my disguise and me

And it only reveals what it wants you to see

A thin line between my disguise and me

No hiding what's underneath, no hiding what's underneath

No hiding

No hiding what’s underneath

No hiding

No hiding

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

I'm on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

I’m on trial

Strung out on a wire

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial

Pull me inside

Trial

“Change” by Treeskin – A Song Feature

     “Change” shows the power of a guitar hook. The rhythm-driven song from Treeskin has other strengths, but it is the reappearing hook that is first heard at 0:17 that possesses the magnetic attraction to pull us back to the single off the album “Learning.”  It has a Robert Smith (The Cure) quality, but the hook stands on its own.

     Treeskin is the project of Michael Dause, a multi-instrumentalist in Detroit, Michigan. As shown in the official video, he provides all of the instrumentation. The credits on Bandcamp identify Hunter Wright as contributing vocals to "Change," but we aren’t clear whether it’s merely the sentence that functions as an intro.

     “Change” by Treeskin

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/treeskinmusic/

Bandcamp: https://treeskin.bandcamp.com/

Lyrics of “Change” by Treeskin

Umm. This will end with a story, somewhere

What you want and what you need are two very different things

They don't go together

And all this time that you've been waiting for something here to change

It'll never change

Stay inside, close the windows, and try to make a thing

It falls into pieces

Get back up, start again, and make yourself believe that you believe

I don't want to get caught up in the fact that it's been two hours, you haven't called me back yet

I don't want to get caught up in the fact that it's been two hours, you haven't called me back, man

I don't want to get caught up in the fact that it's been two hours, you haven't called me back yet

I don't want to get caught up in the fact that it's been two hours, you haven't called me back, man

I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna make this my thing

I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna, I don't wanna make this my thing

If I'm frank, and if I'm honest, I don't really want to change

Too much to bother

What I want is for you to see me for exactly who I am

And give me love

I don't want to get caught up in it

I don't want to get caught up